1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording device which exposes a photosensitive material and forms an image thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, printing devices using digital exposure, i.e., digital photoprinters, carrying out the following operations have come to be put into practice. A digital photoprinter photoelectrically reads an image recorded on a film, converts the read image into a digital signal, and thereafter, carries out various image processings so as to prepare image data for recording. The digital photoprinter scan-exposes a photosensitive material by recording light which has been modulated in accordance with the image data, so as to record an image (latent image) on the photosensitive material. The digital photoprinter then subjects the photosensitive material to developing processing and outputs the image as a print (photograph).
Such a digital photoprinter is basically structured by an input device having a scanner (image reading device) and an image processing device; and an output device having a printing device (image recording device) and a developing device. At the scanner, projected light of an image photographed on a film is photoelectrically converted by an image sensor such as a CCD sensor or the like, and is read (is read photoelectrically), and is sent to the image processing device as image data (an image data signal) of the film. The image processing device carries out predetermined image processings on the image data, and sends the processed image data to the printing device as output image data (exposure conditions) for image recording. If the printing device is, for example, a device utilizing light beam scan-exposure, the printing device deflects, in a main scanning direction, a light beam which has been modulated in accordance with the supplied image data, and conveys a photographic printing paper in a subscanning direction which is orthogonal to the main scanning direction. The printing device thereby forms a latent image on the photographic printing paper. The printing device also, as needed, records certain items on the reverse surface of the photographic printing paper (backprinting). In the developing device, a predetermined developing processing and the like are carried out on the exposed photographic printing paper, so as to form a print in which the image which was photographed on the film is reproduced.
In this case, in the printing device, the photographic printing paper is guided to an exposure position by conveying roller pairs and conveying guides. Image recording is carried out with the flatness of the photographic printing paper being ensured by the photographic printing paper being nipped by conveying roller pairs at two points (two places) in a vicinity of the exposure position, one point being at one side of the exposure position and the other point being at the other side of the exposure position.
However, for various reasons, vibrations arise at the photographic printing paper which is being conveyed, and these vibrations propagate to the exposure region of the photographic printing paper. There is therefore the concern that nonuniform exposure will arise. For example, due to the leading end or the trailing end of the photographic printing paper passing over a step portion between a flattening guide supporting the photographic printing paper at the exposure section (exposure position) and a conveying guide upstream of the exposure section (exposure position), or due to the photographic printing paper riding up over conveying rollers projecting from the flattening guide, vibrations are propagated to the exposure region of the photographic printing paper, variations in load arise at the conveying rollers, and non-uniform exposure occurs.
Further, when vibrations arise at the photographic printing paper at a region thereof which is away from the exposure position, although the pair of roller pairs disposed at either side of the exposure position are nipping the photographic printing paper, the photographic printing paper is nipped at only one point (one place) between the exposure position and the position at which the vibrations are being generated. Thus, with the nipped position serving as a fulcrum, the vibrations propagate to the exposure region of the photographic printing paper, and it is not possible to completely suppress non-uniform exposure.